Raising Goats - 5 Steps to Success

Raising goats for profit is one of the most up and coming businesses of today. Everywhere you look there seems to be an increasing demand for many goat-related products. Apart from the meat itself, there is goat's milk which can be consumed as-is, or used in the production everything from artisan cheeses and yogurts to soaps and lotions! The goat fiber, also known as mohair or cashmere, is a very profitable renewable crop. To someone looking for a profitable business venture with a very low initial investment, raising goats for profit is one of the best options available.

Step 1: Decide which type of production goat you are interested in: meat, fiber, dairy, or pet goats. Once you decide on the type of product you want to create a supply for, the next step is to decide on a breed that best suits your needs.

Step 2: Evaluate the goat breed best suited to your operation. While there are dozens of different breeds suitable for each production type, here is a list of a few of the most common breeds in each category:

Meat goats: Boer, Spanish and Kiko goat.

Dairy goats: Alpine, LaMancha, Nigerian Darwf (or Nigerian goat ), Toggenburg and Oberhasli.

Fiber goats: Angora, Cashmere and Nigora goats.

Pets: The Australian Miniature, the Nigerian goat and the Pygmy.

Step 3: Educate yourself. This is the most important and most affordable step, yet surprisingly, so many people leave it out or only learn part of what they need to know. There are complete courses available that teach you everything you need to know about raising goats. Knowledge is power.

Step 4: Find a local veterinarian that includes goats in his practice. While goats are typically healthy and low maintenance, it is always good to have a vet on call for emergencies.

Step 5: Begin building housing for your goats. Housing is to provide shelter from outdoor weather and protection from predators, wild or otherwise. Another function of housing can be to hold feed and other supplies as well as a head chute for milking and/or administering medicines and other maintenance tasks.

I hope you have learned more about raising goats from this short article. To learn more, take advantage of the very affordable complete learning courses available online.